Clarifying the issue of coachlines: they were, as Jagboi has stated applied at the factory after the body paintwork was complete. The coachlines shown on the 1992 car below are NOT original. The finely pointed ends are more elegant than those applied at the factory:







The factory coachlines had a more blunt, rounded end, front and rear:
This is a 1992 also, car #06/100, in its original black paint and original factory applied coachlines:



Finally, while most of the double lines were of the same colour (and there were several colours, chosen to enhance the body colour), in some model years the lines were two-toned.

 

Thank you for all these useful details. They will help me in re-painting my Daimler Double Six.

I am now considering a few things:

• No coach lines at all, as there already is a chrome trim, very close to it.
• Coach lines (joining) one tone
• Coach lines (joining) two tones

So far I'm thinking more towards the first option

By the way, I like the thin white wall very much.

@Craig I am also bias towards 15" wheels. I love the wider walls and the comfy ride. Do you like white walls? (I bet that you don't)

 

You would be correct! Gregory likes a thin white wall, as that was standard for the Canadian market cars. I prefer a black wall, it doesn't distract from the rest of the car. It's just personal preference.

 

I have stated this previously, but it remains an interesting fact:

Every, EVERY Jaguar, regardless of model or model year, sent to Canada or the US (until 1980) was fitted with whitewall tires, the white band differing in width according to the style of the period. This means that every E-Type, Mk2, S-Type, 420 or 420G, Mk VIII, every one had whitewall tires. The first year of the Series III XJ, both 6 and V12, had narrow band whitewall tires. While these tires were optional in Britain and Other markets, they were factory standard equipment for North America, although not noted as such in the parts catalogues. Don’t believe me? Hunt up any Jaguar ad published for North America or and auto magazine review article…

I am in the minority who think that a narrow band whitewall on the Series I-III looks better than good because it visually reduces the bulkiness of the black sidewall while give an overall illusion of a larger wheel. Wide whitewalls look would obscenely out of place on these cars. The narrow band version: perfect.

 

Eighteen years ago when we had our first friendly discussion on this topic, I disagreed with Gregory, something that is not easy to do given his well-earned reputation and expertise regarding these cars.

My thinking at the time was that white walls, regardless of the width, were somehow too reminiscent of “your father’s Detroit cruiser”. My father was always partial to monstrous Olds’98’s (hard tops and convertibles) although in later years I remember a blue 4-4-2 convertible with a white interior… I wish I had them all now.

In the interim, I have probably moved into Gregory’s minority, although not “firmly ensconced”, that thinks the slim line white walls provide a more modern/better balanced look to the wheel/tire combo than the tall blacklwall does, particularly with the ongoing trend to larger wheels and lower profile tires. It's probably no "accident" that a search for the factory recommended tire size for the Series 1-3 cars often sees them offered as SUV tires...

 

@ Ken Gregory and Ken,

I will confess that I envy your almost 2 decades of participation on this forum! Compared to you, I am a mere toddler!

I am in two minds about whitewalls! I drive other classics, and all have (thin) whitewalls. I love them. I insist on them, in general. But the elegance of the lines of this model defies norms... Gregory, please, would you share a few photos of whitewall"ed" series III? I cannot find many online.

Tommaso

 

Not that it matters, but if you have the chrome/stainless strip, the coach line seems a bit too much. Was it original in Denmark?

 

I applied my red coachline using tape above the chrome strip. Unfortunately, cheap red tape discolors over time and becomes pink. I'm about to have the fenders and doors repainted black again (I had to repair some rust spots from the inside). And if I redo the red coachline again, it will be with paint this time. If I can find a reasonable price.

 

^
Liking the red-line tires if you don't mind sharing whose they are (Coker or???)? I'm not sure about putting them on the Oyster VDP in lieu of white but the XJR is likely the beast that will need tires next and they would complement it's Carnival Red Mica quite nicely (I'm not sure the Pirelli P-Zero's I showed in Post 59 are still available or if they would make sense financially for a daily driver...).

 

I agree, and I mentioned in in post #79 that I'm seriously thinking to NOT add the coach line.

No idea! But Craig will know for sure!

 

Sorry to disappoint, the parts book doesn't say. I think a coachline and chrome trim was standard on Daimlers, but no chrome swageline on the Jaguars.

 

Hard to find unless you go to the sales brochures:







Gregory will have some pics of his own cars, in post #81 above, for example

Note the pics I've posted are of very early Ser III cars with the wheels covers rather than alloy wheels. Handsome, I think.

Also note the the white walls were really more like a stripe....maybe 10mm-12mm wide. It's difficult today finding that exact style; most are 16mm or more.

Cheers
DD

 

@ Doug and Gregory

Beautiful images. I am thinking of using whitewalls... can you recommend an EU seller (in fact, preferably Italy) of reputable whitewall tyres, with lines under 12mm? I found larger whitewalls seller in Rome and Milan, but not under 12mm. I can find 12mm Whitewalls in the UK (235/70 R 15 Avon Turbosteel and other brands) but in Italy, I am having difficulty.

If I remember correctly, I have 6.5Jx15 and I need either 215/70VR15 or 235/60VR15

I found these, but the white line is still too large! These with large fascia are also offered in 235/60

This chap in England paints white walls on tyres: Mr White Wall but he won't ship internationally. He sells the same paint that he uses, but I doubt that I would make a good job painting the wall myself ...

 

215/70 R15 is the original size. Longstone is my usual go to for tires, but I don't see any whitewalls in that size. They are not common anymore.

 

I'm fairly sure that in the UK, it was coach line or metal strip or nothing dependent on model.

For tyres, I guess it's possible to paint a line on the tyre wall. It might require occasional maintenance, but what doesn't.

The standard tyres were Pirelli P5 or P4000, which are now fairly old patterns. Pirelli do produce some every few years at a price. I don't know if they update the compound. I obtained my last set via an independent tyre fitter in Italy - the independents seem to have some sort of network. At that time Longstone hadn't anything very practical to offer. I noted recently that they had P5s. I guess a wider section and lower profile could work and maintain the ride quality. KWE used to offer larger rims on their re-manufactured cars.
https://www.kwecars.com/jaguar-tech-...nd-xj-saloons/

 

So... to answer Ken's question on my RED LINETires. I bought them used off Craigslist a while back. Yes, I believe Coker sold them originally. They are branded as SILVERTOWN Radial BF Goodrich 215/65/R15. I'm NOT impressed by them at all. Even with spin balancing (the only way to go in my humble opinion), they bounce at high speed. One of them has a slight bubble on the inside wall. They thump when cold, presumably flat spotting on the bottom until they warm up. Again, not impressed. They are getting long in the tooth now and going to be replaced soon. The route I'm going to go will probably surprise you, but I've done it before, and it worked out VERY well.

I’m going to buy mid-priced tires, as it’s rare I’m out on the turnpike with the car. Then going to install, glue-on 3/8" red stripes. As I said, I’ve done it before with very satisfying results. Links below. Pics below that.

3/8" Red Line - TredWear

Redline Tire Ring Add-On Kit - Permanent Rubber Red Pinstripe Tires (tirestickers.com)

Before Gluing on Red Lines

In Progress Installing

Final Product

 

Tommaso, ecco alcune fotografie delle mie macchine:

1992, #06/100, Jaguar Black:



1990, Jaguar Racing Green:

e la stessa:



1989, Alpine Green: (the ugly side rub strip was removed immediately after this photo was taken):



1987, Jaguar Black:



1982 (my first Jaguar restoration!):



1992 #92/100, my "permanent" V12 VDP, now in Beijing): Black Cherry:



1990, Regency Red Mica - sold into the US, one of my favourites:

and now, for contrast/comparison 1992 Regency Red Mica #24/100: Note how much bulkier the tires look and how much smaller the wheels look!




and my 1966 Mk 2 - the tire's white band is the correct width for the mid-1960's:




Now, just so you won't think that I put whitewall tires on every car: modern tire profiles have much shorter sidewalls, so no white stripe needed nor appropriate:


and my hooligan car, the F-Type:

 

SURPRISE ICON !!! (where is the surprise icon?) How many Jaguars do you have??? Mammamia! Do you speak Italian? Where did you learn? You live in Canada, right? You must own half of all Canadian XJs!

I tried to look into this seller but the whitewall is 1/2 inch which is more or less 15mm ... do you know of a thinner white band? How does it work with the diamater? Is it commensurate to the tyre diameter?

I am beginning to appreciate the whitewall option, but thin, not the more than 12mm. Can anyone help me find these tyres, please? 215/65-15 if possible?

 

Tommaso,

All of those cars will have passed through Gregory’s hands (and likely more than a few more besides) but he doesn’t currently own all of them. I believe he tries (not always successfully ) to keep his stable count to no more than four at any one time. Depending on the definitions one wants to use, it is either a hobby, an obsession, an addiction, or an affliction and sometimes more than one of those at the same time.

Some of us are the beneficiaries of Gregory’s efforts to keep the stable count at a stable level. I have had the opportunity of buying three of Gregory’s cars from him - the Regency Red Number 24 as pictured in his post above (the one that didn’t have whitewalls but should have), the Oyster Number 3 as pictured in one of my earlier posts above (that doesn’t currently have whitewalls but probably will), and the Carnival Red XJR pictures in my signature. We have been doing this every 8 years since 2006 when I fly out to Victoria and pick up a Jaguar sight unseen to drive home to Edmonton and we are starting to contemplate what Gregory will be selling and I will be buying in 2030.

 

Well, no one has expressed the least bit of concern about my addiction to Jaguars. I refer to this as “the disease for which no cure is desired”. My enabler, also known as my spouse, thinks that owning 4 or (as at present) 5 Jaguars at a time is within the bounds of normal behaviour. Of course, one of the 4/5 is her own. I’m no dummy.

Anyone reading this will recognize the signs of the disease: a willingness to spend time in the garage just looking at the Jaguar from various angles, the need to add the 14th coat of wax to the light-catching curves of the beautiful body (not forgetting to also wax the wood trim), the smile on your face when you settle into the driver’s seat, the need to look back at the Jag when you have parked it, the ability to forgive the occasional bad behaviour of the cat…what is it about a Jaguar, that inexplicable, ineffable combination of virtues (elegance, luxury, tactile, auditory and visual delight, performance…) that distinguishes a Jaguar (of any age) from its peers and rivals? After decades of pondering this question, I still have not been able to determine the answer.